ALBANY – Jim Fassel said he was frustrated. There’s a load of running backs he wants to get a look at this summer and not enough time to see them all in action. “The game’s only four quarters,” Fassel explained.

Well, cancel that frustration. Fassel will see all he desires of Sean Bennett, Damon Washington, Delvin Joyce and Antonio Warren in the coming week, as a freaky injury to Tiki Barber has moved everyone up the depth chart.

By all accounts, there is nothing serious about the strained rib cartilage Barber suffered yesterday while simply taking a handoff from Kerry Collins at the outset of practice. Barber at first said “it felt like someone stabbed me,” but two hours later he reported feeling no pain and proved the point by twisting his upper body.

Fassel at first said his “guesstimate” was that Barber would miss a week and later amended that prediction, saying trainer Ronnie Barnes told him Barber would likely be out for 10 days.

Nothing about the situation appears ominous, but hearts race around the Giants when anything at all happens to Barber, who is clearly their most versatile offensive player as well as their leading ball-carrier. Barber early in camp last year broke a bone in his left hand and missed all four preseason games. At the time, he said it was no big deal, but looking back, he admitted all the inactivity made him rusty and played a role in his getting off to a slow start.

Barber will not play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Patriots at Giants Stadium and if he indeed is out for 10 days, he would also miss the Aug. 17 game at Atlanta. The Giants play five preseason games this year, which in Barber’s case is fortunate, as he could return and get time in the final two games.

“I’ve missed a preseason game every year I’ve been here,” Barber said. “Missing one won’t be a big deal, especially since we have five this year. I got good work in this past week.”

Barber looked as quick and sharp as ever in gaining 24 yards in six rushing attempts in the preseason-opening 34-17 victory over the Texans in Canton. Just after the Giants finished stretching yesterday afternoon, Barber in a no-contact drill took a handoff from Collins and immediately felt something was wrong. “I think I just twisted it weird,” he said.

Barber did not seem concerned. An X-ray confirmed there was no break to the ribs, which Barber suspected. “You break a rib you usually can’t take a deep breath,” he said. “I could breath, I just couldn’t move.”